The Last Woman
by Knitter17
Summary: "Skin like milk, hair like silk, then shall the prophecy be fulfilled. This shall be the last Woman in Neverland."
1. Meeting in the Forest

Lilly sighed as the door slammed in her face. She stepped off the porch and leaned up against the handrail. Her "father" was in one of his fits again. She was locked outside. Once again she would have to find a way to amuse herself until after dark. Then her mother would come and sneak her back inside, after the father had fallen asleep. Being locked out of her own house might have hurt if Lilly didn't love being outside so much. This way she could explore the forest and take long walks without having to answer to anyone. The only rule she had to abide by was to be home by nightfall.

She looked down at her flowered dress and bare feet. The dress barely came to her knees, but it allowed her to have some modesty. She would rather be outside dressed like this than ever allow her father to have what he wanted. She would never allow any man to steal from her the only thing she had left of herself. Her virginity.

She shook her head to clear it of the troubling thoughts. Where should she go today? Lilly looked around as she tried to decide. _I'll go for a walk in Grandpa's woods._ She ran across the yard, across the highway, and into her grandfather's fields. Here she slowed when she was sure that no one could see her from the road. She crossed the last cattle guard that seperated the fields from the forest. She smiled as the forest surrounded her.

A little bluebird flew down to her and around. "Hello," Lilly smiled sweetly to him. The bird came down and perched on her shoulder. He was her best friend; they had met when she saved him from becoming a fox's breakfast. She walked down the deer trails in contented silence. She smiled at Jewel, a pregnant white-tailed deer. Her baby would be coming soon. Lilly often helped with the births of her forest friends' children, and had been looking forward to Jewel's time for a long while. The girl looked around for Nomad, Jewel's mate. Being leader of the white-tail herd, he had a hard time accepting her, simply because she was human. The fact that all the females in his herd trusted her with their lives only added to his jealousy.

Lilly walked towards Jewel, giving a small wave in greeting. "And how are you today, friend?" she asked the deer, rubbing her forehead. She stepped around to the deer's side to feel her stomach. After a few moments she let her hand fall and turned to face Jewel once more. "Don't worry, Jewel, the baby's coming along just fine. I'm sure you'll be proud." Jewel seemed to beam at this news and nuzzled Lilly's hand in thanks. "It's fine, no thanks needed," Lilly said as she smiled. She was almost as excited for this baby as Jewel was!

Suddenly, Jewel jumped and bounded off deeper into the forest, bleating a warning to all the forest creatures. The bluebird flew away in a panic. Lilly, confused by all the commotion, whirled around and backed up against a tree. Those bushes were shaking! Just barely, but Lilly had trained her eyes to pick up slight movements. "Wh-who's there?" she called out in a shaky voice. The bushes shook a little more, and out stepped a little old man! He was short, had short gray hair and pointed beard, and little gold glasses perched on the end of his nose. His clothes were rags, not to the point of immodesty, but the fabric had been worn long past its age of usefulness.

Lilly's fright slowly turned to her usual curiosity. "Who are you?" she asked. "Oh, please miss, don't tell anyone you saw me! If anyone found out you saw me here, I'd be a dead man faster than a cat catches a mouse!" The man was trembling dreadfully from some fear. "Easy now," Lilly said with a small smile, talking as she did to the animals to calm them, "I won't tell anyone. What's your name?" The man tore his red stocking cap off his head and gave a small bow. "My, um, _co-workers_ call me Smee," he said shyly. I smiled brightly. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Mr. Smee. My name is Lilly." "Yes," Smee bobbed his head up and down, "I know." Lilly was a little confused how he knew her name, but decided she would find out later. "What are you doing here in the forest?" Lilly asked him. Smee looked around, "Well, I, um. . . I saw you walking by, and, uh, I hadn't seen you before and, uh, decided to try to find out who you were."

"Well, you never need to worry about hiding in the bushes again. I'm glad to know you," Lilly replied lightly. The bluebird came and perched on a branch above their heads, whistling an angry song as fast as it's little lungs could take air. "Hey! Hey, it's okay. What's wrong?" she asked her little friend. Suddenly one long wavering whistle called from somewhere in the distance. "Oh no!" Smee exclaimed, "I've been here much too long!" He smashed through the bushes again, only once turning to say "Goodbye, Miss Lilly!" before he dashed out of sight.

Lilly was left staring in the direction the man had gone. My, he moved quickly for his age! She wondered who had been calling him to put such a fear into his heart. Watching the slowly descending sun, she decided to head for the house. It could not truly be called a home. Maybe she would see her new friend tomorrow though, when she came back to the forest. Smiling, she slipped back through the forest, reaching the house just before the sun set. "Well, that was good timing," she said to herself.

As she lay in bed that night, she couldn't help but think of the eerie whistle that had rung through the forest. Her bluebird friend hadn't seemed to recognize it. Oh well, maybe tomorrow she would find out.


	2. The Runaway

Lilly awoke to a knocking at her door. She stirred, and softly called, "Who is it?" "Who do you think?" came the gruff voice from behind the door. Lilly suddenly snapped awake and jumped out of bed. The person tried to open the door, but found it was locked. He growled a low oath as he tried to force the door open.

Lilly ran to her closet and practically tore the dress off the hanger. She quickly changed, keeping an alerted eye on the door at all times. This was her usual "wake up call", which is why she had taken to locking her door during the night. Still, it never hurt to be watchful.

She had never heard him so upset before! He was practically banging the door down with just his fists! Lilly shook her head decidedly. Enough was enough. She would not huddle in a corner and wait for him to leave any longer. It was time to take actions into her own hands. She might be a woman, but she still had some rights. And it was time to take those rights back from the man that stole them from her. Leaving a quick note for her mother on her bedroom pillow, she lifted the window, glanced back one final time, and slid out onto the ground. "Goodbye, Mother," she whispered before she took off at a dead run.

She ran and ran, not knowing where she was going yet, but running towards the forest. Running for freedom, running for her life. Her eyes were partially blinded by unshed tears, and she tripped on a large tree root, that had made its way to the surface. She lay there and sobbed, her body heaving with the fountain of tears that she had kept inside for so long finally springing forth. She cried so long and so hard, at last she finally fell asleep, right there on the forest floor.

The sleep was deep and peaceful. For the first time since she could remember, Lilly did not have tortured dreams of dark shadows, crumbled buildings, and her father coming after her. For once she could finally rest, to slip away into the world of darkness and peace.

She awoke to a gentle shaking of her shoulder. "Lilly, Miss Lilly, come on now, wake up," called a voice from far away. She was tempted to ignore the voice completely, as well as her own body telling her to awaken, but for some reason in her heart she knew she must answer the call. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked up into the face of her new friend, her only human friend. "Mr. Smee?" she asked quietly, still trying to fully awake. "What are you doing here?" "I was going to ask the same of you, Miss Lilly," the old man replied. "It's not even noon yet, and here I find you sleeping on the ground! It's a wonder you didn't catch your death of cold."

Lilly smiled slightly as he fussed over her like a mother hen. It seemed like he actually cared about what happened to her, and she hadn't had anyone care about what she did for a long time. Her mother came and let her in the house, of course, but she never did anything else that might cross her husband. "I'm alright," she said, trying to stop him from pulling the leaves and twigs out of her hair. Smee's face was filled with concern. "You didn't sleep out here all night, did you?" he asked worriedly. Lilly shook her head and looked back in the direction of the house. Smee saw the pain that crossed over her eyes, just for a moment. He knew that look well. He had felt pain before many times himself. But her pain was not physical, it cried deeper than that. Into her very being. "Do you want to talk about it?" Smee asked quietly. Lilly turned back to face him, and saw his face full of understanding. She looked around, as if watching for someone, then slowly and quietly began to tell her tale, keeping her eyes on the ground in front of her. It had all started a year ago. Such a long year it had been.

When she finished and glanced at his face, she saw he was crying. "I'm. . . . so sorry. . . " he said, taking her hand in his wrinkled one. Lilly squeezed it a little to show her thanks. In the course of two days, Mr. Smee had become more of a father to her than anyone ever had.

"Where will you go?" Smee asked. Lilly shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted, "all I could think about was getting away from there." Smee nodded understandingly. He patted her hand and stood. "I'll be back tonight, and maybe I can get you something to eat?" Lilly smiled, and thanked him. She would stay in the forest today, just as she had before. He scurried back through the bushes in the same direction he had gone the day before. _Where does he go of to?_ she wondered. _There's no houses around here. This is all my Grandfather's land. _But she decided not to think about it.

She spent the day with her friends, checking on everyone as was routine. The animals noticed there was a slight sadness in her eyes, but she hid her feelings well. She always had to. She couldn't afford to completely bear her heart, even to her animal friends. She decided to go check on Jewel, who was most likely in her favorite meadow.

Lilly waved to the deer as she trotted as fast as was possible in her direction. She laughed softly; "Hello, Jewel," she said softly. She felt the deer's neck and stomach. "You're still doing just fine, just be sure to take it easy," Lilly advised. Jewel turned at the call of Nomad. She gracefully walked towards him, and he lead her away. Lilly shook her head, smiling. That one was a mystery, that was for sure!

As the day went on, Lilly was able to pretend this was just another day, another playtime with her friends. But when she came back to the tree in the evening, she couldn't help but feel a little sad that she would not be going back to her own house. But she pushed those feelings away quickly when she remembered what had happened this morning.

The bushed shuddered again, and out came Mr. Smee, with a picnic basket in his arms. "Ah, there ye are, Miss Lilly," he greeted her. She returned the greeting with a smile. As the little man unpacked the basket, Lilly's eyes grew wide at the sight of all the food! There was turkey, mashed potatoes, spaghetti, sausage, green beans, cornbread, rolls, and apple and pumpkin pie! "You did all this for me?" Lilly asked of her friend, surprised and touched at his obvious generosity. Smee shrugged and smiled, "I didn't know whatcha like, so I brought a bite of everything," he said simply. Lilly shook her head in wonder. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen so much food in one place! She turned to Mr. Smee again. "The only favor I ask of you now is that you will share this with me," she implored. Smee looked surprsied. He could plainly see how hungry she was, and yet she was thinking of someone else? This girl never ceased to amaze him.

So they shared the meal, and Smee offered to help her find a place to rest for the night, but Lilly politely declined and said she would sleep over in the bear's cave. A look of worry crossed over Mr. Smee's face, and Lilly hastened to explain that if she stayed in the corner of the cave, the bears did not bother her while she was sleeping. She had done it before; she could do it again. With a pat on the shoulder and a promise to return in the morrow, Smee set off through the bushes once more. Lilly made her way to the bear's cave, greeting the massive animal with submissive gestures to show she was not a threat. She was not at all afraid of the brown mother bear, but she did know enough to show respect. As she lay in the cave watching the sun go down, the events of the day finally hit her mind with such reality she began to weep silently. She would never again feel the warmth of a blanket being placed over her, never again feel a cool hand press against her forehead when she was sick. She would never see her mother again.

She was a runaway. . . .


	3. The Prophecy

"SMEE!" cried a gruff voice. You could hear the anger in his tone. Smee hurried to the side of his captain. "You called, Cap'n?" he asked. "Of course I called, you blockhead! What do you think I was doing?" the tall man hissed. The old man opened his mouth to answer, but then thought better of it. He had a feeling the captain did not really require an answer.

The captain stared across the waters, rubbing his chin with a hook. His hand had been cut off once by a boy, and he had chosen to replace it with a most uncommon item. The captain spoke quietly, still staring into space.

"Where did you go off to this afternoon, Smee?" came the voice. Smee's eye twitched, surprise showing on his face. How did he know? The little man also stared over the water to try to hide the reddening of his face. "What do you mean, Cap'n? I've been here all day, though down in the kitchen, I'll admit."

The tall man whirled to face him, and Smee could not meet his eyes. "Don't lie to me, Smee! Don't you EVER lie to me!" he shouted in his face.

Smee cringed and remained silent for a few moments. Then he chanced a glance in the captain's face and was surprised once again to find the red had completely disappeared from the man's eyes. Smee opened his mouth, closed it, then stared at the captain warily. Finally he turned and beckoned to the captain. "Follow me," he whispered.

The two crept along the side of the ship to the dowry, a small boat used to transport the pirates to the island of Neverland. All the crew were down in the hold, playing cards and trying to pass the time. As the two figures rowed toward the island, the captain spoke quietly, as to not be disturbed by the mermaids. They were often too nosy for their own good.

"Where exactly are we going, man?" he asked the lone rower. "You'll find out soon enough," said Smee evasively. It was very unlike him to be so mysterious. When they had landed, Smee led the captain through the forest for a long while to a group of caves. Captain Hook looked around in wonder. He'd never seen this place before in all the years he had been on this island. He turned to ask Smee what they were doing here when he saw his first mate was gone! "In here, Cap'n," a voice called from the first cave. Smee poked his head out of the entrance, having lighted a lone candle.

The effect the light was having in the dark cave entrance was pretty spooky. Just the kind of place the Captain liked. He followed Smee down a long tunnel to a large cavern.

There was an old stone table crouched over in a corner, and it was here that Smee brought his captain. Lying on the table was an old, tattered scroll. "It is here," Smee whispered. Very slowly he unrolled the ancient paper. After searching for a few minutes, he pointed to a poem in the middle. "There, read that," Smee requested of the captain. Captain Hook began to read aloud.

_Skin like Milk, Hair like Silk_

_Then Shall the Prophecy be Fulfilled_

_This shall be the last Woman in Neverland_

_Torn from Her Home, With no Place to Go_

_Hiding a Secret that No One must know_

_This shall be the last Woman in Neverland_

_Stars in her Eyes, Blue like the Skies_

_Only love will allow her to fly_

_This Shall Be The Last Woman In Neverland._

Silence filled the cavern. Captain Hook tried to swallow, but his throat was dry. Something was strange here. "Wha- . . . What is it, Smee?" he whispered breathlessly.

The old man pointed to the fading words. "This is the prophecy. There have been two female humans in Neverland so far: Wendy and Jane, her daughter. The next shall be the last."

Confusion draped over the captain's features. "But what does this prophecy have to do with us?" he asked his friend.

Smee looked him straight in the eyes. "I think I have found her."


	4. Meeting a Pirate Captain

Hook gaped at the man, but quickly regained his composure. "It is bold for one to claim he has found a fulfillment to a prophecy," he reminded Smee.

Smee nodded, but replied, "She fulfills every one of the prophecies but the last." They both looked at the last part of the tattered scroll.

_Stars in her Eyes, Blue like the Skies_

_Only Love will allow Her to Fly_

_This Shall be the Last Woman in Neverland._

"Why does she not fulfill this?" the Captain chuckled. "Are her eyes of a different color, or a dark blue like the ocean depths.

Smee shook his head. "She dares not love," he answered quietly.

Hook's brows furrowed. What did Smee mean, she dares not to love? Every woman loved at least someone or something. Surely the old man was mistaken. "But what of that? It only takes some of the golden dust to make a human fly," Hook wondered aloud.

Smee looked at him. "That I cannot answer, but somehow I know. . . I know that this is the one."

After much consideration, the scrolls were brought back to the ship for more studying. Smee left the Captain alone with the scrolls until dark, when he returned with his supper. Not only was Smee the first mate, but an excellent cook as well. The Captain turned as Smee entered the room. "Smee," he said after the scrolls were set aside and his dinner set before him, "I want to see this girl - this woman that you claim fulfills Neverland's Prophecy."

Smee's eyes widened. He had known the Captain would want to see Lilly after studying the prophecies more thoroughly, but he hadn't realized it would be so soon. Though Lilly seemed to trust him, Smee didn't know how she would react to another man, especially after what she had been through with her own father. But that chance would have to be taken. It wasn't exactly like the Captain was asking him if he could meet the girl, he just stated that he would see her.

Plans were made for that very evening, and Smee did his best to hide his worries of the future from Lilly when he took her breakfast. She seemed to be doing some better, but her eyes were red from crying. The little old man could not help be concerned for her, already he cared for her as if she was his own daughter. Trying to help lightened her spirits, he asked about the little doe whom Lilly was with the day they had met.

Lilly's whole personality was transformed from depressed to lively and excited as she talked about Jewel and her unborn baby, and Nomad. Her stories extended to the other forest creatures and her little bluebird friend. Speaking of the little bird, after watching Smee with his human, he saw that there was no harm to come from him. He had even gone so far as to take some bread from his hand while swooping down to the ground, but he would never perch on the man's hand or head or shoulder. That honor was reserved for his human girl.

The day passed much as it had the day before, but today the animals were in the mood for a story. The rabbits, foxes, wolves, opossums, racoons, deer, bobcats, and squirrels all came together to listen. Lilly wasn't sure if they could really understand her stories, but she liked to pretend they did. And the fact that so many of them came together - predator and prey alike - surely spoke for itself.

Both the storyteller and her captivated audience where so enchanted into the story, none of them noticed when two intruders crept up behind two trees to watch. Smee nudged Hook. "Do you see now why I am so sure?" he whispered. Hook could only nod mutely as he stared at all the animals that would sooner be shot then be anywhere near each other lay down listening to the story. His eyes roamed over the crowd to the human, sitting in front of a tree, her hands moving, acting out the story herself the best she could. His breath hitched in his throat. She was so beautiful, but not just the beauty that every woman has. Her eyes sparkled with such life, her hair falling around her shoulders - unbrushed but not matted or tangled in the least. (Little did he know she had the racoons help her with just that problem.) She did not have beauty, she _was_ beauty. Words could not describe her.

The Captain shook his head to rid himself of these ridiculous notions. He had merely come to see why Smee felt this woman was the prophetic woman of Neverland, not to go traipsing off on a fantasy. It was not a good idea to billow the sails before making sure the masts were anchored.

After the story was finished, the forest animals quickly dispersed. After storytime, life was back to normal, and the prey wouldn't stickin' around there any longer! Smee motioned for the Captain to stay behind the tree while he went and explained things to Lilly. "Don't tell her everything," Hook warned. Smee shook his head; he wouldn't dare try to explain to Lilly about the prophecy at the moment. He was worried enough about this meeting as it was.

Hook watched as the girl's eyes lit up when she saw Smee. She smiled so warmly at him, and her whole personality changed to one of trust. The Captain strained to hear what they were saying as they spoke in very hushed tones. He saw a streak of fear flash over the girl's eyes, but she seemed calmed when Smee took her hand, apparently trying to comfort her.

The Captain rubbed the back of his neck. He tried to straighten his coat and fix his hat just so, not to intimidate the girl, but to show her he was not some scrumpled bum.

"You can come out now, Cap'n," Smee called over his shoulder as they both stood. Hook stepped out from behind the tree and slowly advanced toward them, somehow fearing if he came to fast she would flee from both of them.

Lilly gave a small gasp and took a step back. Her eyes studied his form, testing if he was a threat. When the Captain reached them, their eyes met, and both of them froze. It was as if time had stopped, and not like it had in Neverland. That one moment seemed eternity as they searched each other's eyes, neither knowing just what they were looking for.

Smee cleared his throat slightly, making them both jump and look at him. He stepped nearer Lilly. "Miss Lilly, allow me to introduce Master James Hook, Captain of the Jolly Roger brig." Hook cast him a glare for saying "brig" in front of the lady, even though it just meant their type of ship. He bowed low at the waist. "Miss Lilly," he greeted, making a note of her bare feet. After a quick glance at Smee, who nodded, she gave a quick curtsy. "Captain," she replied softly.

They all just stood there for awhile in silence. Normally Hook could come up with some witty comment at any moment, but his mind had drawn a blank, no matter how much he racked it for at least something to say. All he could do was stand there and study Lilly, remembering the everlasting moment they had shared only a few minutes ago.

Suddenly, the Captain was almost knocked at his feet by a fast-flying object hurtling toward his head! At the last moment, he dodged out of the way, nearly knocking over both Smee and Lilly! Lilly grabbed his arm with her hands to help steady him. "Are you alright?" she quickly asked.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. I apologize for almost knocking you over," he quickly answered.

Lilly shook her head, smiling just slightly. "No harm done." But then a frown swept across her face and she looked behind the Captain with her hands on her hips. "Now you come back here, and explain yourself!" she cried to the seeming empty forest behind him. Guiltily, a small bluebird fluttered over to her hand. "An angry chorus is one thing," she scolded, glancing at Smee, "but acting like a cannon is entirely different! What was going through your mind, you little mischief?" The little bird hid his face under his wing. "Apologize now," she whispered. He whipped his head up faster than a cheetah can run and burst out whistles so fast it would make your head spin. Lilly raised an eyebrow, and if bluebirds could growl, he could have; but he slowly turned to Hook and gave two short peeps before flying away as fast as his little wings could carry him.

Lilly shook her head, grinning now. "I don't know what I'm going to do with that one," she said gaily to the air around her. "May I suggest a cage?" Hook mumbled. Lilly whirled on him with anger flashing in her eyes. His face suddenly stung as her palm came in contact with his face. Then she turned and ran.

Hook's eyes were wide in shock as he stared after her and touched his still stinging cheek. What had he said to make her so suddenly angry?

Smee stared after her and slowly shook his head. "Well. . . that went well, didn't it?" he sighed.


	5. Apology Accepted

Smee was the first to speak. "If you can find your way back through here, Cap'n," he advised while pointing to the bushes, "I'll go after her." The older man started to follow Lilly's path, but the Captain placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"No, Smee. Let me go," he said, his eyes never straying from the spot where he had last seen Lilly.

Smee didn't truly think that was a good idea, considering what had just happened. "Do you, um, really think that is best, Cap'n?" he asked with concern evident on his face.

The Captain then looked into the face of his first mate. "No," he admitted honestly. "I'm not sure at all. But I have to try," he said, looking again to the surrounding forest. It was then that Smee began to understand his captain's intentions of an apology, and figured that the captain was trying to say he wanted to talk to her alone.

After Smee had left back through the tunnel, Hook walked in the same direction in which Lilly had dissapeared. His eyes searched in every direction. Where could she have run off to? His walk through the forest gave him plenty of time to think over his meeting with Lilly and all that had happened between then and now.

He remembered his first sighting of her. Even now his heart began to pick up speed at the very thought of her. He had seen many women in his time, many women. But there was just something. . . something different about her. Something special. What had captivated him most was her eyes. Smee was right; they were truly as blue as the heavens above. After his greeting, he had looked into her eyes and suddenly frozen. He was not in control of his body, his mind was a blank, but it was a welcome emptiness. He just wanted to stare into her eyes forever more. Words could not describe the emotions he felt at that moment. He could hardly think of it without wanting to soar straight up to heaven. His heart felt like it would.

Suddenly the Captain was brought out of his reverie by a song sounding close by his head. He stopped suddenly and whirled to face the little mischief that had caused him all this trouble. "What do you want?" he hissed. He did not make it a practice to talk to common birds, but this little tyrant was the cause of all his trouble with Lilly. The little bird jumped up and down on the bough on which it was perched.

The Captain sighed resignedly. Then suddenly he had an idea. He slowly turned to the bird, so as not to scare it off. He felt ridiculous, but he began to question the bluebird. "Can you take me to the girl?" he asked. The bird began yet another angry chorus. The Captain quickly held up his hand to stop the song mid-note. "Please," he tried again, "I need to find her. To. . . apologize."

The bird grew silent and still. For a long time they both just stood there, looking at one another, one pleading, the other deciding. No more words were spoken, but when the bird flew off a little ways to another bough, the Captain took that as an affirmative that the creature would lead him to Lilly. He followed the bird into the very heart of the forest itself. At the mouth of a large cave the bird left him.

He cleared his throat and proceeded to step into the cave when he was met by a deep, rumbling growl. Hook's eyes widened as he saw how the bird had tricked him. The great grizzly stalked closer to the man, snarling and slobbering at the intruder. He heard the wind whisper through the trees as he waited for the monster to attack. He would not run; he would stand his ground and die a noble and dignified death. "Shhh, shhh, quiet now. . . " The Captain's eyes popped open. There was Lilly, and she was pulling the bear's head away from him! "Go on now," she said, nudging her back towards the cave, "I'll take care of it." Then she turned to him.

"You are. . . surely full of surprises, Miss Lilly," Hook said when he had caught his breath. Lilly stared at her feet, which the Captain noticed were still bare. "I could say the same of you," she replied, looking back at his face. "What are you doing here?"

Although Hook was not normally an honest man, he decided he had deceived the maiden long enough. "I was looking for you," he replied truthfully. "I wanted to apologize." Even the word was foreign to the Captain. He never apologized to anyone, and yet here he was. What if she rejected him? She shook her head, causing him to hold his breath.

"It's not your fault, not at all," she began. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. That was wrong. It's just, everytime I hear the word "cage"," she looked away and shuddered. Hook didn't press. "I truly am sorry. I let my anger get the best of me." _Again_, he thought.

Lilly thought she might faint at any moment. He had come after her? Why? She was afraid to wonder. The only man who had come after her before was her father. But the Captain seemed such a good man, such a gentleman and so kind.

Quickly turning towards the cave, Lilly drove the troublesome thoughts from her mind. She looked at Hook, and smiled slightly. "The Mother just had cubs a few weeks ago. Do you want to see them?"

Hook's brows furrowed slightly. Why would he want to see bear cubs when all he wanted was to talk with Lilly, to watch her. But he followed, if anything just to be near Lilly.

It was very dark in the cave, reminding Hook of the tunnel he had came through with Smee. Slowly his eyes began to adjust, and he saw the great hulking form of the mother bear. He started to back away, but Lilly impulsively took his hand. Both jumped slightly as tiny electric shocks shot up their arms. "Come, The Mother will not harm you," she said softly.

She led him over to the two small bumdles, scooping one up lovingly in her arms. The baby male began to cry, but with soft whispers from its captor he settled down quite quickly. She motioned the Captain over, urging him to feel the baby's soft fuzzy head. Hook felt something quite strange run over him as he rubbed the cub's small head. Suddenly, the cub's sister began to cry. She started to hand over the male to the Captain. "Would you?. . . " she began. Hook nodded and held out his arms for the cub, supporting it with his hooked arm but being carful not to injure the bear. Lilly scooped up the little girl and nuzzled her fondly.

They just sat there for the longest time, playing with the cubs, the mother watching over all of them, especially the strange man. Finally when it began to grow darker in the sky, Lilly led him back through the forest to where they had left Smee. The Captain, not wanting Lilly to know about the tunnel yet, waited until she left. But before she did, a short goodbye took place.

"I must remember to thank your little friend for his guidance, even if he is troublesome at times," Hook began, not wanting to leave her sight just yet. She cocked her head quizzically. "The bluebird led you to me?" she asked. Hook nodded.

"I'm glad he did," she said softly.

"So am I," Hook replied just as quietly. He looked at the sinking sun for a moment. "Miss Lilly?" he asked.

"Please, just Lilly."

Hook nodded. "I know this is quite sudden, comparing the fact that we only met this afternoon, but. . . . might I have permission to. . . call on you sometime?"

Lilly looked puzzled. "Call on me?"

"Might I see you again?" Hook was so nervous, he thought he might explode if this tension did not leave him.

Then Lilly slowly began to smile brightly. "I would like that, very much."

The Captain returned the smile with a brighter one of his own. It was the first truly genuine smile he could remember having.

Now it was Lilly's turn to look at the sun. "I'm glad that you came after me."

Hook eyes softened as he looked at her face, aglow with the setting sun. "So am I," he whispered gently. _So am I_.


	6. Unanswered Questions

Lilly sat beside the mouth of the cave, staring at the sunset. Everything that had happened today seemed like it should be put in a fairytale. She had always had a special connection with animals, but showing someone else that gift and sharing it with them? Always before she had imagined that completely impossible. The girl recalled fondly the feelings which were so new to her when she said goodbye to the Captain. Did she trust him completely? Of course not. She did not trust any man -apart from Smee - but it was nice to be able to have a friend. Smee had proven himself to be so good and loyal, maybe he had paved the way for her to allow someone a nice word.

Everything was just so overwhelming. In a whole year she had hardly spoken to any living human, and in the past few days she had felt like...well, a human being. She cared for her animal friends with all her heart, but she had had no earthly idea what a feeling of fulfillment could come from socializing with humans. Still, she would have to be careful. She knew this; there was just so many contradicting feelings in her heart, she didn't know which voices to listen to or what she should do. Shaking her head slightly, she crawled into the cave.

The two cubs immediately wobbled over and curled up beside her. She snuggled up against them, grateful for the warmth radiating from them and the trust they so easily displayed. A small sigh escaped the girl's lips as she once again drifted off into a restful sleep.

Smee was sitting by the window watching the sun go down, and jumped slightly when the door swung open. The Cap'n strode in looking almost as if he was floating on a cloud. It was shocking, to say the least, to see anything near a smile on the face of the strong and steel-hearted man. He ruled his ship with an iron rod -or hook, as the case may be- and the thought had never occurred to any of the crew, including Smee, that anything could ever change his disposition.

It was not as if the Cap'n had not seen a woman before. He was quite a vain man at times, and enjoyed telling tales to Smee in the privacy of his cabin about the years before he had become "enslaved on this wretched island." According to the Cap'n, he had been quite a catch when it came to the ladies, so to speak. But even in his stories he had never mentioned one in particular. It was always "this girl" or "that woman" or occasionally "that pretty little thing with the fiery hair", but no names could ever even be remembered.

During the time Smee had been waiting for the Cap'n to return, he had been searching thoroughly into the scrolls, and had come across a few surprising details about the woman in the prophecy. He did not feel at liberty just yet to share them with the Cap'n though. Perhaps tomorrow.

Even if he had been willing to talk about what he had found in the scrolls, he began to doubt that Hook would have even heard him. Ever since the man walked into the room and sat at his desk, he had apparently not even noticed that Smee was there. He seemed to be off in a fantasy world all his own, and one would need only one guess to know who was the cause of the new sparkle to be found in his eyes.

Fortunately, none of the crew had yet seen the Captain in this dreamy state, and good thing they hadn't. Surely every one of them would have thought they had all gone mad, or worse, that he had. They were used to the terror and intimidation that normally rang from his proud stance, but this would be even worse for them. Smee silently debated whether to ask the Cap'n if he would like his supper now or later; in the end he decided to go ahead and bring it up, and left the Captain to his musings.

Five things kept running through Hook's mind as he sat unmoving in his desk chair: the meeting with the girl, asking a bluebird for help, the electric shock that wove its way up his arm as she held his hand in hers, and the strange behavior of the animals in that forest, and the first time he had apologized to anyone since he knew not when. His hat now lay discarded on the table in front of him, and he had not given it another moment's thought. He remembered trying to fix it just so, and hoping that he looked presentable enough for the lady. Now the Captain knew how to look his best, for he settled for nothing less every single day. Now perhaps he was a bit vain about his long black locks, but what was truly the matter with that?

Skipping ahead in his mind to the little blue terror, Hook shook his head as he remembered conversing the the creature as though it could understand him. He had never even gave a second thought to whatever bird might happen to be flying by, unless it was possibly a decoy for that brat, Pan. Whatever had possessed him to consult a bird for directions? And better yet, one who appeared to seeth hatred at the very sight of him? But he had, and the little thing had actually led him to Lilly. Closer than he would have liked to the angry jaws of a mother bear, but still to Lilly in the end.

Her touch with the animals simply amazed him. There was no other word to describe it, though it seemed to do so much more. Could it be possible that she could actually speak with them? Or could they only just understand her? She had not seemed able to understand their voices, though she apparently had learned much of the different body languages of them all.

What about her schooling? Where was her family? All these unanswered questions kept running through his head; and they were becoming more unbearable by the minute. He wanted to learn everything about her that he could, and even more. There was something in her eyes that told him she was not telling him everything. And yet, why should she? They had only met today, for that matter. The only thing that could comfort the man was knowing that he would be able to call on her again soon. When exactly he was not sure. But he was determined that it be soon. Very, very soon.


	7. A Whole New World

The months passed, and everyone had begun to be more comfortable with each other. Smee and the Captain had been able to avoid the question about where they had come from. Lilly had asked once; but seeing their discomfort, decided to leave things as they were for now. After all, they were here now. What difference did it make where they came from?

In the past little while, Jewel had given birth to her first son. Smee had delighted in naming him Aiden, meaning "little fire." Lilly too had seen the fire and excitement in the fawn's eyes, as if he knew he was to follow in the footsteps of his father. The men had yet to meet Nomad, who had remained more elusive than usual, but the girl didn't think much about it. The only men he knew were hunters, and hunters brought only the hand of death upon his family.

Lilly had finished her usual rounds of the day, and was playing hide-and-seek with Aiden. "Come on, little one, I know you're here somewhere," she called, trying to lure him out of his hiding place. She looked around, looking closely for any little sign of movement, and saw a bush tremble slightly. Her face broke into a grin as she creeped closer. She whispered to herself "one...two...three..." She swiped the tall bushes to the side with her arms, and her face fell in surprise to see not the fawn, but a cave!

All the years she had been coming here to the forest, she had never seen this before. She peered into the darkness of the narrow cave. Was that light near the very end? The girl's brows furrowed in confusion.

Backing up one step, she cast a glance over her shoulder into the surrounding forest. Everything seemed quiet, and she could see no one else around. Once again her curiousity got the better of her, and she stepped into the darkness, letting the bushes fall back into place behind her. She waited a minute for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Now she could see her way to walk, but mainly what caught her attention was that little light at the end of the tunnel. How strange it truly seemed, for if you looked close enough, you just might see a rainbow. Entranced, she stepped closer and closer until she saw it was a wall of light. She couldn't see what was on the other side.

She looked over her shoulder again. What if...what if she couldn't come back? Suddenly there was a slight chill in the air; but Lilly closed her eyes, and in a moment stepped through the light. Her feet could feel the cave floor, but it felt as if she was moving at lightening speed. The light was now all around her, so intense she covered her eyes and still the light shown through. Just when it felt as if she couldn't take this anymore, as if she would break apart in bits and pieces, everything stopped. Lilly stood there for a few minutes, hands still over her eyes, shivering and panting. Very, very slowly she lowered her hands from her eyes and opened them.

The sight that greeted her was surprising to say the least. There was ocean, bluest sea, as far as the eye could see. Cautiously she bent down and touched the sand beneath her feet. It was real! Turning around, she saw what appeared to be a jungle-like forest. Her eyes widened in shock. Where was she? What was this place? Her eyes followed the treeline, and locked onto a tall mountain. Maybe from up there she might be able to get her bearings. Then she had another idea: why not just go back the way she came? She looked all around, but there was no cave or tunnel entrance. That was the moment she began to get scared.

Suddenly her head snapped to the right as her well-trained ears picked up approaching footsteps. She ducked behind a tree just in time to avoid being seen by a small group of little boys! My, this place kept getting stranger and stranger. They were dressed in furs, and the one in front had a coonskin cap - too large for his head - tilting sideways. At the sight of the hat, Lilly stared at her feet for a few moments, then watched the little group again.

They spoke in hushed tones, making it hard for Lilly to overhear what they were saying, but the best she could make out was they were wondering when their leader - Peter, was it? - would return to the island. _So, this is an island_, Lilly thought to herself. _But what island? _

Under the cover of the trees, she silently followed them as they continued on their walk. Maybe they would unknowingly lead her back to wherever they lived, and she could get some answers. Maybe she could find a way home. When darkness neared, they all curled up together in a pile on the ground in the middle of a clearing. Lilly lay down in between some bushes, hidden from view. Didn't they think that their mothers might be worried about them? Perhaps they were farther from whatever village they were from than she had originally thought. She left them as they were, since they appeared to be safe. She had yet to see hide nor hair of any animals on this island. Perhaps she should try again to find that mountain. With one last long look toward the children, she slipped off into the night.


	8. I Do Believe In Fairies

She traveled as far as she could until right before dawn. Even though the morning sun would make it easier for her to figure out the direction she was going in, Lilly was just so exhausted. It felt as if she could not take one more step without falling over; she would welcome the fall if it came. At least there would be some rest on the floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a tree that looked almost exactly like the one at home where she had met Smee. The girl lay down at the base of its trunk and curled up in much-needed sleep.

The rest seemed to end in an instant, but when Lilly awoke she felt truly rested, something she hadn't felt in a very long time. Sitting up and stretching slightly, Lilly leaned back against the trunk of the tree, wondering about it all. Suddenly a tiny flash of light caught her attention as it swished by. "Hello?" she called out, wondering if someone might be trying to signal her somehow.

Instantly the light was back, and it was hovering in front of her face! Looking closely, Lilly watched as it began to form into a little fairy! The human girl took a tiny step back. "Wha...who are you?" she asked increduously.

"Who am I?" the little one asked. "Who are you?" Her voice sounded windchimes, and she looked as surprised to see Lilly as Lilly was to see her.

"My name is Lilly."

The little fairy flew slowly around her in a circle and sat down on a low brach of the tree, about eye level with Lilly. "I'm Aafreeda. You look older than the girls that Peter used to bring."

"Who is this Peter everyone is mentioning? I heard a group of boys talking about him last night."

Aafreeda looked at her in disbelief. "You mean...Peter didn't bring you here?"

Lilly shook her head no, wondering what this was all about.

Aafreeda scooted off the branch and flew a little ways off down a trail. "Follow me, she called over her shoulder.

Lilly wasted no time in hurrying along behind the fairy. Occasionally she stumbled, but she was always able to catch herself in time. Finally the forest grew very dense and it was hard to pass through, if not impossible. Aafreeda flew down. "You'll have to fly over the wall, it protects Fairy Hollow from intruders."

"But I can't fly!"

"Don't worry, it just takes a little bit of fairy dust." Aafreeda took a handful out of a pocket on her dress, about a pinch in human measurments. Sprinkling it over Lilly's head, she flew a little ways up. "Now just think of something that makes you really happy!"

Lilly closed her eyes and thought of little Aiden, and her other friends in the forest. She thought of the deer herd all going to have their own fawns soon, and Nomad looking over them all. She thought of The Mother's two cubs, and how quickly they would grow. Opening her eyes with a smile, she was a little dissappointed to find herself still on the ground. Aafreeda was hovering in front of her, looking worried. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"It didn't...work..." Aafreeda couldn't understand it. Fairy dust was what made a person fly. It was impossible to be immune to it or for it not to work. So what went wrong? Lilly hated to dissappoint her new friend, but she didn't know what to suggest.

Then Aafreeda got an idea. "I know. You go to the beach, and I'll meet you there. There's someone important I want you to meet." With that, the fairy flew way up and over the wall. Not knowing what else to do, Lilly set off to find the beach again. While she was walking, she had a little bit to think about what had happened. She had just seen a _fairy_, and she had talked with her like it was the most normal thing in the world! Truly she had been in awe, but everything had seemed almost natural. Everything today had been so strange.

Sooner than she figured the beach came into sight, but Lilly didn't want to put herself out in the open yet. She decided to sit just inside the treeline, where she would be hidden, but where she could see anything that happened out on the beach. She leaned agaist the trunk of a tree, and settled in for the wait.


	9. The Duel

Lilly awoke with a start. She hadn't even realized that she had dozed off, leaning there against the smooth trunk of the tree. Yelling and the clanging of metal filled the forest, and in an instant she was up on her feet and running toward the sound as fast as her legs would carry her. Breaking through the bushes of a clearing, she stopped in her tracks at the sight before her. The entire clearing was a war zone! She picked out the boys she had watched yesterday, and old men dressed almost like pirates! Lilly's eyes widened when she picked out Smee among them! He was trying to fight, but also trying not to hurt anyone. The tallest of the boys dashed over and made a jab for him, almost hitting.

Instinct took over and in less than a second Lilly was running as fast as greased lightning towards the two. Grabbing up a dagger than had fallen by the wayside, she slashed out at the boy, not even thinking about the fact that he was years younger than she was as she stood over Smee's trembling form. With a fierce growl, her eyes dared him to take one step closer. The boy's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as she held the dagger up defensively and snarled again. Everything in the clearing stopped and everyone turned to look at her, but most surprised of all was the tall man at the opposite edge of the clearing. That man gave quiet orders to the ruffian beside him, and then slipped off through the forest so he would not be seen. The rest of the men stayed, waiting to see what would happen.

Chancing a glance down at Smee, Lilly nodded for him to get to a safer place. He still looked shock to see her standing there, and he glanced worriedly between the two, but Lilly stood firm. Turning back to face the boy, she held the dagger up to block anything that he might try to pull. They began slowly circling around each other, making sure to keep out of range of the other's blade. She glared hard into his eyes, her loyalty to her friend making her forget everything else. The only thing that kept her from attacking him was the fact that he hadn't actually hurt the old man. A little boy cried out from the sidelines, "Go on Peter, you can whoop her!"

Lilly's eyes filled with surprise. So this was Peter, a leader? He was only a boy himself! The boy called Peter took this moment of opportunity to strike. Suddenly everything was in slow motion to Lilly. She swung her dagger blade up to meet his descending one, and with one loud clash, the fight was on! Jumping back and forth to dodge swipes at each other, and lunging, each blow was completely met and blocked by another. It was truly a sight to see. After many tries, Lilly finally saw her chance and threw herself forward. To her shock, she landed on the ground where he had been! She whirled over and looked up to see him floating in air, and this time her jaw was the one to drop open. Could it be that he was possibly _flying_?

Her breath coming in a shudder, very slowly she sat up and stared up at him, grinning like a child who had just won a fight. Which was exactly what he was did, Lilly realized. "How did you…" she gaped up at him. He drifted down to the ground beside her, and extended his hand to help her up. She took it and looked down at him, still in utter amazement. Suddenly the crowd around them burst into applause. "That was the best fight we ever saw'd!" the boys cried out. Lilly's face quickly heated up to a bright red. She searched the crowd for Smee, and took a step towards him. "Are you alright?" she asked. She had to admit she was worried about him; he looked like he had almost had a heart attack!

Smee could barely breathe; what if he had hurt Lilly? What was she doing here in the first place? There were so many unanswered questions; it was all so overwhelming.

With one last backward glance at Peter, she took the old man by the arm and led him a little ways from the clearing. Coming upon the beach again, they sat down on a large log that had fallen it seemed quite a while ago.

After he had caught his breath, Lilly leaned forward a little and asked him. "What are you doing here, friend?"

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?" Smee looked like he was about to go into hysterics, and the girl patted his arm until he could calm down a little. "I'm sorry," he apologized. I'm just so surprised to see ya here."

"Well, honestly so am I."

Smee took a deep breath and let it out in a shudder, realizing the time he had feared had finally arrived. "You don't know why you're here?" he asked, stalling for even just a few more moments. Lilly nodded and waited for him to go on.

"I'm not sure you're going to believe all this, but here goes: I suppose you have already figured out you're on an island. This island is called Neverland. I live here with the Cap'n and the rest of his men. We're pirates, you see. The boys you encountered back there are called de Lost boys. They ain't as defenseless as they look; Peter's taught 'em well in the ways of the sword. There's also Indians, wild animals – especially a crocodile, and . . . fairies."

Smee paused a moment to let all that sink in. Lilly looked down at the sand and showed a tiny smile. "Yes," she said quietly. "I know about the fairies." Smee just blinked at her twice, and as if to prove her point, a tiny flash of light was flying toward them from the treeline.

"Lilly Lilly Lillly!" the tiny fairy Afreeda called out as she zoomed toward them. "There you are, what happened? I heard battle in the Great Clearing, and when I got there, everyone was congratulating Peter on defeating a stranger girl! I was so afraid something had happened to you." Smee was trying to figure out what she was saying, for although he had lived on this island many many years, he had not been around the fairies long enough to learn their language. The best he could make out was a few words here and there, such as "Peter", and "Clearing", and "Battle."

"Well, don't worry too much about it now, Afreeda." Lilly comforted. "As you can see, I'm alright now."

"You're just full of surprises, ain't ya, lass?" Smee mumbled. The two girls giggled, and Smee tole them he must be getting back to check on…things. Right before he left, Lilly stopped him and asked. "Smee, is…is the Captain here too?" Hesitating for a moment, the old man nodded, and Lilly let him go, still not sure what to make of it all. She still didn't know why she was here, or how she could get home. Did she want to go back? Of course she did. But what was there at home? Nothing. It was so confusing, all of it, but Lilly knew she had to make the best of what she could at the moment. So she followed Afreeda back through the forest.


	10. Pixie Hollow

**Author's Note: I want to thank NerdiGirl for offering to beta this story for me. I look forward to working with you from Chapter 10 on.**

Afreeda was bursting with excitement as she zipped back and forth through the trees, chattering all the while. "Our Queen wants to see you! It's a great honor that few fairies even get when Queen Marion requests their presence!"

"But why would she want to see a stranger like me?" Lilly asked.

Cautiously looking all around, Afreeda flew down in front of Lilly's face. "Because. . . you could be the one we've been waiting for." With a burst of giggles she zoomed off around a tree again, not able to contain her excitement.

Despite being in utter surprise, Lilly was extremely curious. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, everyone's waiting for us! I'll explain more when we get there!"

It only took a few more minutes to reach the impassable wall. "Uh, Afreeda? Don't you remeber?" Lilly asked. "I can't fly."

The tiny fairy nodded. "I know, and I told Queen Marion about that too. She had an idea about it. Wait here." With that, she flew up and over the wall.

A few minutes later, Afreeda was back, and she was not alone. She was followed by a small host of fist-sized bright lights. Coming closer, they transformed into an entire flock of fairies! Some took hold of her hands, and some the back of her dress. Very carefully, they pulled until they were lifting her up off the ground. Despite their small size, fairies are very strong, and so the job was easily done. In a slow parade, the girl was lifted up higher and higher until she was over the wall, then let back down to the ground.

She looked up to see an amazing sight. A huge oak tree shimmered with what Afreeda had called "pixie dust." All around were fairies flying in every direction, and windchime-like laughter filled the air. It was. . . magical. A cooing sound caught Lilly's ear, and she looked up to see a large white dove nesting in one of the highest branches of the tree.

"That's Mother Dove," Afreeda whispered in Lilly's ear. She pointed her finger in the direction of a small parade coming toward them. "And that," Afreeda said proudly, "is Queen Marion!" Though small by human standards, the parade was very elaborate, with dancers and flag wavers, and a chorus of tiny brass trumpets. Lilly felt very honored to be the guest of this beautiful procession.

The Queen flew up near Lilly with a smile. "Welcome to Pixie Hollow, my dear," she greeted warmly. For a moment, Lilly was struck in awe of her complete beauty.

"Th-thank you. . . your Highness. . ." Lilly stuttered, not knowing what else to say. She was led over to a quieter corner of the tree, and asked to sit down.

"Now, what brings you to our island?" Queen Marion asked, taking her seat on a throne held up in mid-air by four male fairies.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not quite sure," Lilly answered hesitantly, looking down at the ground. "I was in my forest home, when I found was seemed to be a long and narrow cave. There was a little light at the back of it. I walked through the tunnel, and the light was so bright I had to close my eyes. I felt like something was pulling me very fast, and yet I was standing still! The next thing I knew I felt sand between my toes, and when I opened my eyes I was on the beach of this island."

Queen Marion looked deep in thought for a few moments, then gave a small, comforting smile to the girl. "Well, however you got here, you must stay here tonight. We will think of tomorrow when it comes." She then flew off with her escorts, leaving Lilly blushing and not knowing what to do next.

"Wanna see the rest of the island?" Afreeda asked, noticing Lilly's embarrassment.

Lilly nodded. She had to admit she was very curious about this new place she was in. She could hardly wait to explore it, even if she was a little afraid too. Another small group of fairies lifted Lilly over the wall and set her gently on the ground on the other side.

"Let's go!" Afreeda shouted, and with that, the pair walked off to find their adventure.


	11. Watched Unknown

The two strolled silently along the beach for a little while. When Lilly saw the log where she had talked to Smee after the duel with the boy-Peter, wasn't it?- she asked Afreeda if they could stop there and talk for a little bit. There were so many questions running through her head. She wasn't even sure if the tiny fairy would be able to answer them all in one sitting. But Afreeda agreed, still trying to plan in her mind what parts of the island she would show to the human girl first, and which places she should avoid-such as the pirate's ship anchored in the harbor farther down the beach.

"There are so many questions that I have. I'm not even sure where to begin," Lilly admitted once she was seated on the sand in front of the old log and Afreeda was daintily perched on top of it.

"I've been told I'm a fairly good listener," Afreeda encouraged, "and I won't keep anything from you." The second she said that, Afreeda wondered if she should have. _There are some things that Lilly shouldn't have to know... _she thought nervously, but she knew she couldn't hide anything, for she did promise, and fairies place high stock in their word.

Lilly knew the fairy wouldn't have the slightest clue how she got here. No one seemed to know, including herself. When she thought about who might know, something nagged on the very back corners of her mind, but she couldn't place her finger on exactly what it was. Perhaps later it might come to her, but Lilly thought that she needed to remember now. Could it possibly be a clue to how she got here, or who could help her? But no, she would have no idea of that. Everything was so confusing!

"Wellllll?" Afreeda asked, scooting closer.

Lilly shook her head to try to clear the confusion. She thought of Smee, and of when she had asked him if the Captain was here. She didn't know if Afreeda would know anything about the men, but she felt like she should ask. "I. . . I don't suppose you would know anything about a Captain Hook, would you?"

Afreeda's eyes widened with surprise. How did she know about him? The glow around her glowed slightly pink as she got sort of embarrassed. "I-I know a little something, but...but not much at all. Mainly hearing from others."

"Do. . ." Lilly paused for a moment. She was about to ask the fairy if she knew where he might be found, but then again she wasn't sure if she wanted to see him so quickly, or if he would want to see her. Yes, he did say that he wished to 'call on her', but that was in her world, not this one. What if he didn't mean anything by it after all? He seemed kind enough, but something in his eyes made her wary. She didn't know what it was. Perhaps it was the lack of trust on her part. She shook her head and smiled at her friend. "Never mind, I don't know too much about him either."

Afreeda made a little noise of relief and suggested that they continue around to the Lagoon. She wondered what Lilly would think of the mermaids, and they of her. She certainly seemed older than the girls Peter had brought back, but then again, she couldn't be sure. She didn't want to ask Lilly how old she was for fear of being rude.

As the pair walked farther down the beach, giggling about trivial things, they never looked back and saw the man watching them from the side of a large tree.

Once the human and fairy were out of sight, the Captain came and sat on the log where they had been. Apparently the girls had not been aware of his presence: a good thing for the moment. He couldn't help but wonder why Lilly had asked after him. One would think with everything that had happened to her today, he would be the last person on her mind, and yet she seemed almost too shy to speak of him.

His own thoughts were not much less confused. He was constantly wondering how he should approach her, or even if he should in the first place. Yes, she had asked about him, but that didn't mean a thing. More than likely, her curious nature would make her ask him questions he really didn't care to answer, but then again, perhaps playing the mysterious hero could work to his advantage. Being in a strange place would cause any woman to be crying for home, right? If he could find the way she came in, he could return her to her own world, and be free to check on her at his own leisure. As it was, there was much danger on this island for a woman alone like her. The three little girls had been safe enough, most of the time kept in Pan's hideout—wherever it was—playing "mother" to them. But who knew where Lilly was staying? Even if she had befriended the fairies for the moment, the little being could turn on a person in an instant. If she were to anger even one of them. . .

Just the thought caused him to shudder just slightly. Until he got her back home, he would just have to keep an eye on her. As much as he disliked to admit it, he didn't want anything to happen to her. No, there was no time in his life for childish romances, but there was something so vulnerable about her; the Captain felt as if he needed to protect her. Plus, it fluffed his ego a little bit to feel that he was her sole protector, the only one who could save her from the terrible things this island could do to a person's mind.

Tonight, after dark, he would send scouters to find out where she was sleeping. Smee would lead the expedition; that is, if he accepted. He had been keeping to himself even more than usual lately below deck. Hook brushed the peculiar behavior off at Pan having pointed a knife at him. The other men also had been giving Smee a bit of a hard time, jesting with him about having to have a girl to save him. Little did they know this was no ordinary girl... which brought another question to mind: where did she learn to fence like that? So far, only Hook had been able to match Pan with a sword. In fact, if he hadn't flown away like a frightened bird. . .

The Captain chuckled at the thought of Pan almost being beaten by a woman. _That will surely do wonders for his cocky attitude,_ the captain laughed to himself, but his countenance grew dark again at the thought of the boy and his airs. He quickly stood and hurried to his ship to make sure the anchor was firmly in place. Occasionally those pesky mermaids would try to have fun with his ship, and he wasn't in the mood for his world to be shaken yet again. It had already been shaken enough by the new girl...


	12. Mermaid Lagoon

The sight before Lilly was absolutely breath-taking. Crystal clear yet aqua blue water shimmering with the sparkles of a thousand sunbeams. A slight waterfall fell softly into the pool, and creatures sat under it, rinsing their hair and spraying each other by cupping their hands to form fountains. It was a purely magical setting.

The human girl was simply awestruck by the tails of the pretty sirens. Even her bountiful imagination had never prepared her for this. She had always pictured colorful, scaly creatures with huge hair and a completely bubbly attitude. Though the mermaids were beautiful, their tails were a silver grey, nearly matching the rock shore surrounding the lagoon, and their hair was as black as coal and straight as a sheet. Their skin, in comparison, was completely white; they were nothing like the picture-book stories Lilly had grown up reading.

One by one each caught of her peering out from behind the rock and instantly they froze. No more laughter-not one sound save for the roaring of the waterfall. Lilly didn't know what to do. She looked to Afreeda for guidance, and the little fairy placed a finger to her tiny lips, motioning for Lilly to stay still. Slowly approaching the mermaids, she circled their heads and spoke softly to each of them. Lilly strained to hear what she was saying, but it was too far away.

Silently the mermaids slipped into the water, disappearing below its surface. A slight twinge of disappointment shot through Lilly like a tiny electric shot. If only to herself, she admitted that she had wanted to meet the mermaids, to talk with them—get to know them, really. Even if they were so different than her childhood stereotype, they looked absolutely fascinating. She was brought back to the present by a tug on her hand. Jumping slightly, she looked down to see Afreeda trying to lead her to the edge of the water. "Come, they're waiting for you!" she said impatiently.

Lilly raised an eyebrow in confusion, but allowed the fairy to pull her to the water. She looked down, but could see nothing. There seemed to be no end to the water; it only grew slightly darker and darker until the deepest water Lilly could see was as black as a midnight without a moon. But so slowly, she could barely make out silohuettes rising from the deepest waters. As light penetrated the water, Lilly's eyes began to adjust, and she saw the mermaids swimming up to the surface. Oh, how graceful they were! Their sleek bodies moved back and forth through the water like an eagle swooping through the air.

Nearing the surface, the tallest mermaid slowed, and the others quickly followed suit. She left them waiting below, all of them staring at Lilly as she looked down at them. The water was barely shaken with the slight swishing of their tails; one could almost see as clearly as through the air.

The apparent leader inched closer and closer to the surface of the lagoon. Finally, after what seemed like almost an eternity, she surfaced just a little so the water was just above her eyes. The two stared at each other for a long moment, and Lilly realized she had been holding her breath. Silently she exhaled and saw a bit of a sparkle in the mermaid's eye. The siren rose her head up out of the water and grinned at her. Lilly gasped and pulled back a tiny bit. The mermaids teeth were skinny, long and sharp! They reminded her of a pirahna. Quickly she glanced down, embarrassed at her rudeness.

When she had the courage to look up again, she saw the mermaid staring at her mouth closed—which made it much easier to look at her—and eyes full of—was it understanding? Lilly attempted a small smile, feeling terrible now. The mermaid swam to the edge of the lagoon where Lilly sat.

"What do they call you, human?" she asked. There was no menace in her voice, no mocking, only simple curiosity. Her voice was a bit like her mother's singing voice—the one when she had sang very softly to Lilly as a little girl at night.

"I…have always been known as Lilly," the human girl answered. Not knowing the formalities of merfolk, she simply asked, "May I know yours?"

"I am called Caro."

Lilly nodded and smiled politely in acknowledgment.

"May I sit with you?"

"Oh, of course," Lilly said, scooting over slightly so there was room on the ledge which she sat. Caro pulled herself up with her arms and flicked her tail over the water, pulling it up around her—for balance, Lilly assumed. When she glanced down in the water again, all the other mermaids had disappeared.

"What brings you here, Lilly?" Caro asked.

Lilly wasn't sure exactly how to answer that. She looked around for Afreeda, but saw her nowhere. "Well, I was walking with a fairy, but I don't see her at the moment."

"You mean Afreeda."

Lilly nodded yes, turning back toward her.

"She'll be back in a little bit. Those fairies are always up to one thing and then another the next moment."

Lilly wasn't so sure how she felt about being left alone in a strange place with someone she had never met before, especially when that someone was a mermaid she didn't even know existed in the first place! But she knew that she could not place blame on Afreeda alone. Of course she would have other duties; Lilly surely didn't expect her to be with her all the time, even though she was a stranger here.

"Lilly, did you not hear me, or did you simply not wish to answer? I understand either way, but I would like to know…"

Lilly's head snapped up. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I have a habit of disappearing into my head when I'm thinking about something very much." Her red face looked at the ground.

"Not worry about that. I simply asked about before that."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean how did you come to be on Neverland?"

The question was unexpected, to say the least. At least for moments before they had not known each other. Looking into Caro's eyes, Lilly felt a strange sense of immediate trust. Could this be some manipulative trick that mermaids had which she did not know to be wary of? But no, something in Caro's eyes rang sincerity. Lilly found herself telling almost everything, from following the fawn to the battle with this mysterious Peter. She intentionally left out any mention to Captain Hook and Smee. For some reason the people here seemed bothered when she mentioned them. When she had finished, Caro simply nodded. "I might be able to answer a lot of your questions, but I'm going to have to do some things before I can tell you."

Lilly didn't understand at all, and said so.

"Come back to the lagoon in a few days, and I might be able to help you figure out some of the questions you have. I might not be able to say exactly why you are here, but maybe together we can bring some light into the darkness of your confusion."

Lilly smiled and patted Caro's hand. "I thank you for the help that you have given me already." The mermaid's eyes looked puzzled. "For listening." At this Caro smiled, and with a wave slipped back into the water, diving into its black depths.

Standing, Lilly once again looked around for Afreeda, but saw her nowhere. It was getting a little bit darker, and honestly Lilly wondered if Afreeda might have forgotten about her. Not that she held it against the tiny fairy, but it was easy to get busy with other things. Lilly understood that. Not knowing what else to do, she set off across the beach on her own, trying to retrace the steps she had taken in her memory.


	13. Sunset

What a beautiful sight: the sun setting over the ocean, and the dolphins leaping up out of the water trying to catch the last beams of light before the moon shown its gentle glow down upon the sea. Lilly just stood there for a moment, taking in all the beauty around her. When she was very small her parents had taken her to the shore almost every year, but nothing she had ever seen in her world had ever been so beautiful as this.

She was so entranced in the sight she did not hear the soft footsteps in the sand coming up behind her. A silent, light tap on the shoulder was enough to make her gasp and whirl around. Standing there in the last fading rays of sunlight stood the Captain himself: his eyes shimmered as the sunset gave them a fresh sparkle. His coal black hair, spiraling down his back, shone like a raven's wing that has caught a glimpse of dew in the noon-high sun. It was all Lilly could do not to forget herself and just stand there staring like a mute.

Glancing down at her feet shyly, she greeted him. "Captain, I did not hear you coming this way." She looked back into his eyes, which sparkled like diamonds, but did she see almost amusement?

"Yes, the sand makes quite a good sound catcher for sneaking up on fair maidens," he said, grinning. Lilly shook her head with a small smile and looked back out over the sea. "It's quite beautiful, isn't it?" he asked, stepping up behind her.

She nodded with a tiny sigh. "I've never seen anything like it before," she said quietly.

The Captain touched her hand with the back of his hook, causing her to flinch a little bit. "Does it frighten you?" he asked, with a touch of regret in his voice.

She looked down at the piece of metal, then up into his eyes. "It did at first," she admitted, "but it doesn't bother me so much now."

Surprise was the first emotion that ran through Hook's mind. He looked out over the ocean, trying to collect his thoughts. The loss of his hand had been the constant thorn in his side, the constant reminder that he was left alone to face the wiles of that stupid boy. Even if it were possible he could return to the other world, no woman in her right mind would want him now. He had lost too much, and gained nothing.

Lilly watched an overwhelming sadness cross over the Captain's eyes like a single, slow wave. Without thinking, she reached up and touched the side of his face. He looked down at her, and their eyes met again. It was as if he drew strength from looking into her eyes. For a moment, just a moment, she felt her heart flutter ever so slightly, and she whispered, "You're going to be alright, you know." She didn't know anything about his past or even what he was going through right now, but she knew that she couldn't just leave him there, whatever was going on inside his head.

Without a word, they turned and started walking down the beach side by side in the growing dusk. They said nothing, but felt strangely comfortable in each other's presence. After a little while of walking, Lilly realized for the first time that the light around them was now moonbeams, and the stars twinkled in the night sky above them. How long had they been walking? It truly hadn't seemed that long. She stole a glance at the man striding beside her, and noticed he too was looking up at the night sky.

He turned and led her onto a small path leading into the forest. The going was a little rougher now, and progress was slower. Lilly bit her lip as she stepped on a few sharp stones here and there. She didn't know where they were going, but had a feeling that they might be getting close to the-a unearthed root caught her foot and with a yelp she felt herself being pitched forward. In an instant she was caught by two strong arms, and she caught hold of the Captain's shoulders. He supported her while she tried to stand and grasped her arm with his good hand. "Are you alright?" he asked, concern echoing in his voice.

"I-I think so..." Lilly replied unsurely, wincing when she tried to put weight on her left ankle.

Hook felt the girl's grip tighten slightly on his shoulder as she tried to stand. He knew she was in pain, but she wouldn't let him know how badly she was injured. He also knew what he was going to say next might seem very forward of him, but at the moment he was more concerned about her injuring herself more than propriety. "Let me carry you back to the pixie's den," he said, bending silently at the waist to scoop her up in his arms if she would allow it.

"I'll be alright, it's just a little-ouch," she grimaced. Even in the darkness of the forest, she could feel the Captain's eyes staring knowingly at her. Finally she relented. "Perhaps. . . it might be best. . ." Slowly, she was lifted up into the air, and her arms went instinctively around his neck. They moved through the forest at a much faster pace-obviously he knew where he was going-but every step was carefully laid so she would not hit her ankle or anything of that nature.

When they reached the Hollow, it was aswarm with millions of fairies shooting off in different directions. Lilly heard some of them calling her name. The hedge wall stopped them from going any further, but quite a few of the fairies had noticed them by now and were racing over the wall, assumably to tell the others. The first fairy that came swooping over the hedge toward them was Afreeda. "Oh, Lilly, I was so absolutely worried about you! I got busy talking to some of my friends, and I just completely forgot you didn't know your way around. I'm so-" the fairy stopped in mid flight and froze when the light around her shown the face of the Captain. She stepped back a little as if the air was a stage and she had sudden nervousness.

Lilly opened her mouth to say something, but was silent as she saw Queen Marion descending from the top of the wall. She too looked astonished to see the Captain, but the next moment her face was a curtain, a soft smile. My, she hid her feelings extremely well. "Lilly, we have been very worried about you, dear," she said, hovering close to Lilly's face. Lilly knew she meant what she said.

"I'm sorry to have worried you," she said politely, looking at the ground.

"Are you injured?"

"She seems to have twisted her ankle, but it doesn't appear to be broken," Hook offered. It was the first time he had spoken since they had come upon the hollow. Lilly looked up at him and tried to offer an encouraging, but discreet smile. The fairy queen nodded and called a few of her escorts.

"We will. . . take her off your hands now, Captain," she said. Lilly could feel herself being lifted and for a millisecond thought about protesting, but realized what that would seem like. In actuality she just didn't want her ankle to be moved right now, and though the fairies were being very careful, it still hurt a bit. But she didn't say anything, and simply gave a small wave to the Captain as he watched her be carried over the wall.

With a small sigh, Hook began to notice a slight chill in the air. He nodded silently to the pixie and with one last glance at the top of the wall where he had last seen Lilly, he turned and disappeared back into the forest.


	14. A Dinner Invitation

Restlessness seemed to fill Lilly's entire being. It had been at least four days since the accident and her ankle was doing much better, but the entire fairy population seemed unwilling to let her out of their sight for even a moment. Lilly knew they were just trying to help, but she wanted to be able to see the outside of the four bushy walls again. There was so much that she wanted to ask about, so much she wanted to learn about this island; this _Neverland!_

Afreeda might have been able to tell her some of what she wanted to know, but she didn't want to cause a big scene when there were at least forty fairies by her side day and night. There wasn't any time to be alone and talk now, but hopefully soo they would have a chance to go walking again. Luckily, Queen Marion had seemed to sense Lilly's slight resentment of being cooped up. In fact, the fairy queen was approaching Lilly at that moment, with Afreeda flanking her on the right. Lilly nodded respectfully as they drew near.

"How is your ankle today, dear?" the queen asked.

"Much better, thank you ma'am," Lilly answered, keeping her eyes near her feet. It was an old habit that she used to try to show respect.

"Do you think that you would be able to accompany me for a while?"

"Oh, of course!" Lilly said enthusiastically, brightened by the idea of stretching her legs again.

Lilly was lifted over the wall, and led off slowly, since Queen Marion didn't want Lilly to wear her legs out. After all, she had hardly moved for the past few days. When they were nearing the beach—the very same one that Afreeda and Lilly had talked at a few days ago, before going to the mermaid lagoon—the fairy insisted that they stop and rest awhile. Lilly's ankle was a little bit sore, but she was so happy to be out here again she didn't really mind it, and told her so. However, the queen would not be denied, so they sat and stared out over the ocean. The sparkling of sunlight on the ocean waves made Lilly think back to that one sunset view she had shared with the Captain. It had only been days ago, but it seemed like an eternity had passed. She blushed slightly and smiled to herself.

"Would you like to talk about what's on your mind?" Queen Marion asked, causing Lilly to be brought back to the present more quickly than she would have liked.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, your Majesty. I was just dreaming," Lilly said sheepishly.

"There are some things I would like to ask you about, and I also will try to give you some answers to your own questions in return."

Lilly nodded, surprised by the sudden turn of events, but pleased nonetheless.

"The first thing that comes to my mind is the ineffectiveness of our dust on you. When it is used on humans, it is meant to make them fly temporarily, with a shrug of the shoulders and a true smile on their face; yet on you it seems to do nothing."

"I'm not exactly sure what I would be able to tell you about that. I have been quite happy here these past few days, so it is not a lack of that. I do feel the fairy dust when it falls on me, but that is all."

Queen Marion nodded thoughtfully. "You have told me before about how you arrived in Neverland, correct?"

"Yes, that's right. I've told you everything about that."

"Tell me about your life before you arrived here."

The request surprised Lilly, and she sat there in silence, not knowing what to say. She hadn't expected any questions like this one, and was completely unprepared. Rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly, she asked, "Well, um, what do you want to know?"

"To start: the three girls who came to Neverland before you had some interaction with the boy Peter before arriving, most often him visiting them at their home, teaching them to fly, and going off on some adventure; yet you say that before that clashing of the swords—which was quite well-matched I might add—you had never seen him before in your life."

Lilly nodded, appreciative of the compliment. "That's right. I had only heard about the boy after I had arrived in Neverland, when I overheard a group of boys talking about him one night as they camped. At the time I had no idea who he was."

"The Lost Boys, as they call themselves, and the pirates often have battles in that clearing and anywhere else on the island that they meet. What exactly was it that spurred you into dashing and challenging the leader of them all?"

Lilly looked out over the sea, feeling her face turning red as she was unsure how to answer. "Well... when I came upon the clearing, I saw Peter—whom I still did not know at the time—about to spear an older gentleman-"

"Smee." Queen Marion nodded. "And dear, I'm sorry, but I hardly think that a pirate would be deserving of the term 'gentleman'."

"He's not bloodthirsty or cruel like the rest of them are though!" Lilly blurted out, rising to her friend's defense. "He's kind, and he wouldn't hurt anything or anyone, especially not some cocky redhead that couldn't match swords with a. . . " Lilly clasped her hand to her mouth, realizing just how much she had said.

"With a girl. Yes, that was quite a blow to his pride, but he will get over it soon enough. All boys do."

Lilly wore a puzzled expression. She wasn't going to be asked anything else about the pirates? She had thought for sure that something would come of her mistake.

"I have an errand to run for a little while; feel free to continue looking around the island. Just be very careful to watch where you step." Lilly blushed and looked away, but for a moment she thought she saw a twinkle of laughter in the fairy queen's eyes. In less than a moment she was gone, but Lilly did not move from her spot. She looked out over the sea again, trying to make sense of it all; but with a shake of her head, she supposed there were some things about this place that she just wasn't going to ever be able to understand.

After a while, soft footsteps began to approach her, and she turned slightly looking over her shoulder. Her face lit up as she saw her friend, walking slowly out of the woods, with his red stocking cap twisted in every direction imaginable. "Smee!" Lilly squealed with delight as she jumped up and ran over to him, falling to her knees as she embraced the short little man. He gladly returned the show of affection and patted her head good-naturedly. Lilly looked up at him with sparkling eyes, feeling completely wonderful now that there was a friendly face. They stood there for the longest time, not saying anything, then both started to speak at once, paused, then did it again. Finally Smee chuckled and motioned towards the log. "How about we sit a while and figure out what it is we're trying to say, lassie?"

Lilly grinned and sat down in the sand beside the log so she could look up at him. "It seems like I haven't seen you in the longest time."

The man nodded and leaned a little towards her to get her attention. "Listen, lass. There are things I knows you been wonderin' about, and I 'ave been meaning to tell ya, but I jist couldn't find the words to put 'em in." Smee scratched the top of his head. He had begun to look upon her as his own daughter, and had come to be very protective of her. So how was he to explain to her the reality of the situation she found herself in? "Well, first things first. How is your ankle?"

That was just like Smee, always caring about her before anything else. "How did you know about that?" Lilly asked. The second the words were out, she knew. More likely than not, the Captain had probably told him; and why shouldn't he? A twisted ankle wasn't a secret, much less something to be kept from a man who had been her friend since the very beginning of this adventure and even before then! Then why did she feel her face beginning to blush? It was starting to become a slightly annoying habit that occured every time she thought of the mysterious man.

"The good Cap'n told me 'bout it when I asked after ya the other day," Smee replied. "He's been worryin' quite a bit about you too, lass."

Lilly looked down at her lap as she smiled slightly. "Well, I didn't mean to cause worry for either of you," she said quietly.

The man patted her shoulder with a weathered, gentle hand.

"How is the Captain?" Lilly asked suddenly, looking up.

"Oh! Er, well," stuttered Smee, caught off-guard by the sudden question. He didn't suppose "heartsick" would sit well with the lass, and that was only strong suspicion anyway. "He's…ah…fair. Fair as a sunny day." He forced a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, but Lilly didn't seem to notice.

She smiled, thankful that he was alright.

"Fact is, that's sort o' the reason for me being here," he continued. "Not that I didn't wanna see ya in the first place, o'course! But this is about business too."

"And what business is that, Mr. Smee?" Lilly asked, curiousity lighting up her eyes.

"The Cap'n was a'wonderin' if you might be interested in dining with 'im tonight."

Now it was Lilly's turn to be caught off-guard. She started to say something several times, but the words kept getting caught in her mouth right as she was about to say them. The Captain wanted to have dinner with her? What could it mean? She couldn't help but smile as she felt that flutter coming in her chest again, but it was a happy feeling tonight. Then she thought of an idea that might tell her a little bit more about the Captain himself. "Well... what do you think I should do, Smee?" she asked quietly, searching his eyes.

"The Captain's not as bad as some make 'im out to be, lassie. In fact, he can be a real gentleman when he's got a mind to. An' I know it would do his heart good to have a pretty girl like you sittin' at his table."

They both smiled at each other and Lilly blushed bright red. "Well, tell the Captain that I graciously accept his invitation."


End file.
